Method and System for Integrating and Controlling Components and Subsystems

• US 20080034379A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lectronix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lectronix, Inc.
• Inventors: Dale, Allan, Bayerl, Thomas, Mahaney, Craig
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/321
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/545 where tasks reside in different layers, e.g. user- and kernel-space

Abstract

A method and system for integrating and controlling a hardware device having one or more embedded systems including one or more hardware components configurable for use with the hardware device and one or more operating systems for use with the one or more hardware components. A control module configurable for use with the one or more hardware components and one or more operating systems accesses and controls the one or more hardware components with the hardware device. The control module generates and displays access and control commands on the hardware device to allow user to operate and manage the embedded system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for development of a module for controlling an embedded system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an abstraction layer for requesting services from one or more operating systems of the embedded system;

obtaining one or more device drivers compatible for use with the one or more hardware components and operating systems of the embedded system with the abstraction layer; and

creating a client server architecture incorporating the abstraction layer in the module to integrate and interface between the one or more hardware components and one or more operating systems to control the functions of the one or more hardware components,

wherein the client server architecture of the control module communicates with components of the embedded system to operate and manage the embedded system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of providing an abstraction layer further comprises storing the abstraction layer application programming interfaces in a shared runtime library accessible by the client-server architecture and device drivers incorporated in the control module.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating a client server architecture comprises the steps of:

creating servers in communication with the abstraction layer for management and control of the one or more hardware components; and

creating a user interface in communication with the servers to display commands for use by an operator of the embedded system to control the one or more hardware components,

wherein the abstraction layer provides operating system and hardware component access requirements to the client server architecture to allow control of the embedded system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the user interface provides a single interface for one or more server elements to display commands for use by the user to operate the embedded system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the user interface is graphically displayed on a video display screen incorporated in the embedded system.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein middleware logic is configured to operate as the server to provide functional access to and control of the one or more hardware components.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the user interface is configured to act as the client communicating with the servers to display the control commands to the user and instruct the server based on input from the user.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a device driver architecture is provided and contains the one or more device drivers having at least a command layer and an access layer containing information required by the client server architecture to perform a requested function.

9. A method for integrating and controlling one or more embedded systems for use in a device the steps of:

providing one or more embedded systems containing one or more hardware components;

providing one or more operating systems for use with the hardware components;

developing at least one control module to control and manage the one or more hardware components, wherein the development of the module includes

providing an abstraction layer for requesting services from the one or more operating systems,

obtaining one or more device drivers compatible for use with the one or more hardware components and operating systems with the abstraction layer, and

creating a client server architecture incorporating the abstraction layer in the module to integrate and interface between the one or more hardware components and one or more operating systems; and

integrating the at least one control module with the one or more embedded systems in the device.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of providing an abstraction layer further comprises storing the abstraction layer application programming interfaces in a shared runtime library accessible by the client-server architecture and device drivers incorporated in the control module.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of creating a client server architecture comprises the steps of:

creating servers in communication with the abstraction layer for management and control of the one or more hardware components; and

creating a user interface in communication with the server to display commands for use by an operator of the device to control the one or more embedded systems,

wherein the abstraction layer provides operating system and hardware component access requirements to the client server architecture to allow control of the embedded system.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the user interface provides a single interface for one or more server elements to display commands for use by the operator of the embedded system.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the user interface is graphically displayed on a display screen incorporated in the device.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein middleware logic is configured to operate as the server to provide functional access to and control of the one or more hardware components.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the user interface is configured to act as the client communicating with the servers to display the control commands to the user and instruct the server based on input from the user.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein a device driver architecture is provided and contains the one or more device drivers having at least a command layer and an access layer containing information required by the client server architecture to perform a requested function.

17. A hardware device incorporating one or more embedded systems comprising:

one or more hardware components configurable for use with the hardware device;

one or more operating systems for use with the one or more hardware components;

a control module for integrating and controlling the one or more hardware components and one or more operating systems in the hardware device, the control module including

an abstraction layer for requesting services from the one or more operating systems,

one or more device drivers compatible for use with the one or more hardware components and one or more operating systems with the abstraction layer, and

a client server architecture to integrate and interface between the one or more hardware components and one or more operating systems; and

a user interface for generating and displaying access and control commands on the hardware device to allow operation and management of the one or more embedded systems and related control modules.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the embedded system is provided as a component in a vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the control module is in communication with the hardware device in the vehicle and configurable to access and control multiple embedded systems in the vehicle.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the user interface is graphically displayed on a display screen incorporated in the device.